Thursday, January 20, 2011

if you have followed my recent postsyou'll know I have led you to believe I'm busy recording new material.I'm sorry but that's not true.I do have new material ready and I am eager to recordbut I can't do so just yet.

why?

in only 30 days from now I'll be boarding a planefor amsterdam to begin rehearsing for The Big Event:the orchestral version of e.

I've known from the start this will be the most challenging performance of my professional lifeand I have been suitably rattled for the last two months.though I've been practicing daily I still don't feel ready.

a. I don't yet have all my guitar programs written perfectly and in a sequence which allows me to move easily from one program to the next.there are a perplexing amount of moves in e.the semi-automatic choreography of my footwork has always been an essential part of my sound.most guitarists play with their two hands.I play just as much with my two feet.

b. the guitar playing for the orchestral e is not the same as for the power trio version of e.in the power trio version I make 16 different loopson the fly (so to speak) with my feet, of course. but early on I realized this would not work in the context of an orchestra.to expect the entire orchestra to hear correctlyand follow consistently my 16 loops would be folly.so I decided on this approach instead:I will play what would normally be the guitar loop once, then it will be taken over by the orchestra.I've designed various ways for this to happen.

for example, in the section called cafter I play the opening 64-note chromatic phrase which I would normally make into a loop, I'll stop and let various members of the orchestra take over the 64 notes from there on. to make it interesting I have scored it so each of the 64 notes will be played by a different instrument.that way the notes will seem to bounce around the stage.(that should make 'em sweat).

point being I have to re-learn how to play ein order to know what to play and when NOT to play.

c. I have never been conducted. I have always taken my cues and tempos fromthe drummer or from myself but now I will need to watch what the conductor does while I'm playingand learn how to follow his movements.

also there are rules in an orchestra.if, for example, I want to comment about a certainpart I don't address the player, I address the conductorand he passes my comments or questions on to the player.no big deal, just more things to get used to.

d. how does a "rock guitarist" adjust his or her volume level to balance with the volume level of an orchestra?in a rock band it's easy: you play as loud as the drummer plays. no more and no less. ah, the tyranny of the drummer.

which reminds me of one of my favorite stories from when I played drums in the Holiday Inn circuit.we had a complete moron as our booking agent.I'll call him Ron.Ron had sent one of his bands to play in one of the Holiday Inn lounges.soon he received a call from the manager of the lounge.he was complaining about the band.

ron: what's wrong with the band?manager: the drummer is too damn loud!ron: do you have him miked?manager: no.ron: well, mic him and turn him down!

one last concern I have is, well...my head.the concert in amsterdam is at the Paradiso, one of the most revered venues in all of europe.(in his recent autobiography keith richards mentions itas one of the 3 best venues the stones ever played).crimson played there in the 80's.

problem is, after they build the stage out far enoughto accommodate a 55-piece orchestra there will be verylittle room for people on the main floor.the Paradiso has two huge balconies which ring the venue.that is where most of the audience will be seated.and what will they be looking at?the top of my balding head!

in the last two weeks I've spent a considerable amount of effort surfing the hat shops of the internet.in fact, I've purchased 6 new hats and every one of them make me look like Ron the moron booking agent.

there are guidelines for wearing a hat on stage.if it has too large a bill you'll have "coon eyes".if it's too hot you'll sweat like stevie ray vaughn.plus the audience has to "accept" you in your hator it can become a distraction.

phew...sometimes this rock star thing is for the birds.

regardless I aim to spend the next 30 days heads-down with one eye on the hat shops of the universeand one eye on the fretboard of my parker fly.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

to the rest of this year it's difficult to know what may happen.I don't even have a calendar yet to pencil things into, but I have the sense we may journey into new territory.

one of my main concerns will be to have the trioperforming again throughout these great united states of ours. not really new territory I know, but we'll make it seem new. and perhaps to revisit some of our international favorites.

a new solo record, now that I have a studio again, that is a must and it definitely will include new territory.

performing by myself with an internationally famous orchestra, now that is certainly new and truly one of the biggest undertakings of my long and storied career. but of course that will be finished (sadly) by march.which leaves a lot of year to fill.

there are several very new ideas being discussed and I hope soon to announce at least one of them.or they may crash and burn in flames like so many good ideas.